Expression device for musical instruments.



Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

L. H. MAIER. EXPRESIEION DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIUATION FILED 00119 1910.

Wane

LOUIS H. MAIEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters ratent.

1 ,ooasso.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

Application filed October 19, 1910. Serial No. 587,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS H. MAIER, a citizen of the United States, andresident of New York city, borough of Bronx, in the county York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Expression Devices forMusical Instruments, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide im roved means to permit thedamping or so toning of the tones at will of various series of stringsof a piano, whereby the strings of one, two or more of such series maybe damped as desired, to produce subdued or pianissimo effects.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality of hammer rails, eachrail being associated with a desired number of hammers of the pianoaction, and each of such rails is connected with operating means forindependently operating each such rail, the means I have showncomprising concentrically dis osed oscillatory members, each membereing, connected with one of the hammer rails to support and operate thesame, with means for independently operating, as desired each of suchmembers.

My invention also comprises novel details of improvement and combinationof parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,wherein,

Figure 1 is a face view, partly broken, of a portion of a piano actionillustrating my improvements 'in connection therewith, the operatingbellows being illustrated on a reduced scale; Fig. 2 is a verticalsection substantially on the line 2, 2, in Fig. 1, and Fi 3 is a centralsection through a portion 0 the operating members for the hammer rails.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding arts in the severalviews.

The numera s 1 2, 3, indicate hammer rails shown provided with felt orthe like 2, 3, each of said rails bein of suitable length to coact withany desire num r of hammers 4 of the piano action, which latter may beof an well-known or suitable construction. Said rails are shown in linewith each other, end to end.

' At 5 is a shaft or member rock in suitable bearings and shown proofNew York and State of Neva journaled to vided with arms or supports 5connected with the hammer rail 3.

At 6 is a tubular shaft or ed concentrically upon shaft with arms orsupports 6 hammer rail 2.

At 7 is a tubular shaft or member mounted concentrically upon shaft 6and provided with arms or supports 7 connected with hammer rail '1.

The concentric shafts 5, (l, 7, are shown journaled in hearings ,in thepiano action brackets 8, which are shown supporting the general hammerrail 9 that extends the length of the :tion and operated by a pedal asusual, said rail having usual felt 10, althou h said shafts may besupported in any suita le manner.

In Fig. 1 the hammer rails 1, 2, 3 and their shafts are shown brokenaway to indicate that they each may be of any desired length tocorrespond to" any desired number of strings, and the length of shaft 5will be equal to the entire series of strings, while shafts 6, 7, willhave a suitable length proportioned to the number of hammers with whichthe corresponding hammer rails .coact, any suitable number of such railsand their shafts being provided. The shafts 5,

member mount- 5 and provided connected with 6, 7 are provided,respectively, with arms or projections 5", 6", 7", for rocking saidshafts separately. Suitable means are provided for operating said arms.The means I have shown for such purpose comprise independent bellows 11,upon a chest 12, and connected with the corresponding arm 5, G", 7", bysuitable links or rods 11, shown attached to brackets 14 carried by saidpneumatics or bellows. I

Any suitable means may be rovided for cau ing the operation of either ofsuch pneumatics or bellows which have well valves. I have shown pi cs 15which communicate with each sucii valve as usual. Suction through saidchest is maintained in any suitable or well known manner through pipe12. From the foregoing it will be understood that when either of thepneumatics is caused to collapse it will operate the corresponding rod11 and arm 5", 6 or 7'', to cause operation of the corresponding shaft5, (l or 7, whereby the corresponding hammer rail 1, 2 or 3 will bemoved forwardly to carr the corresponding series. of hammers orwardly toreduce the lit) blow of the hammer on string 1), as to a pointct'irrosponding to tho liroktrn lino a in Fig. 2. ()no or more of suohhammcr raih may hi lipci'zitcd at a time. This may lit donthr springprcs t-d huttons IT opcratin rain-s l8 that control tho opcninnj andclosing of the oriticcs ot' pipcs l5. liy this means damping of anydcsircd set of strings whethor in the trohle, bass or tenor, or an)number of these, may he ott'eoted as dusircd, whereby pianis-simo orsubdued tonal of facts may he produced at. will. By having tho shafts5i, 6, 7 supported coiurentrivally as sct forth and correspondinglycarrying thc hammer rails, the positions of the latter may he maintaineduniformly with respect t i'ach other, the construction is simpliticd.and a compat't arrangement is provided.

Having now describedmy invention what l i on i 1 l. 'ilnr combinationwith the llttlliliiti's of a piano action, of a plurality of hal'nnlcrtails. t-{t 'tl assoriiatcd with a plurality of said hanmu rs a shaftsupporting one of said rails. and a hollow shaft disposcd upon the tirstnauu'd shat't and connectod with anothr-r of said rails, said shaftsbeing rotatahly mountcd.

2. tho conihiliation with the hammers of a piano action. of apltli'alityot hammcr rails adjaccnt said hannners, a shaft, supportsconnecting said shaft with out of said rails, a hollow shaftcont'untrically disposcd up n the lirst named shaft, supports (f0!)-nerting tho hollow shaft with another of said rails, a serond hollowshaft conccntrirally disposed upon the first named hollow shaft supportsconnecting the second named hollow shaft with another of said hammerrails. and tin-ans for operating said shafts at will.

rails, t'oii cntrically ilisposcd mcmhcrs, each of which is connoctcdwith our of said hammcr rails, pnctunatus, arms t-xtvndmg from saidlllt'ttllit'l'h and tlilllltt'tlUHH lNl\\'t'('ll said arms and saidpncumatics l'or opcratinp thc fornu-r lI Y thc lattvr to aotualvtluhanuucr rails.

.3. This combination with the hamnu-rs ot a piano action, ot a pluralityof hammt-r rails, ttilltt'lltl'ltit l disposcd mt-mhcrs cash 1 conncctcdwith our of said hummcr rails, a

chest, a plurality of pnoumatics conncctcd with said chcsl. cnccntru'ally disposcd arms on said mcmhcrs, and moans conncct mg tilt'llt of said pntzumatu-s with said arm of our ol 1 said nu-mhcrs forrotating thc lath-r to aotu- 3, llurotnhination with the hammers of 1 apiano action, of a plurality of hammer ah, thc hammer rails.

(3. The comhination with tho hammcrs ot a piano action, of a plu'alityot' hammcr rails, concentrically disposud mcmhcrs cach conucctvd withouc of said hammcr rails, t chi-st, a plurality of pncumatics connci'trdwith said chest. and moans connvctiug uach of said pnoumatirs withadjacent and ot' a corresponding member for rotating thilatter toactuate the hammer rails.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of NewYork this lath day of October, A. D. 1910.

LOUIS H. AIER.

Witnesses T. F. BOURNE,

RALPH ll. RAPHAEL,

titl

